The worrying side effect Omicron patients must watch out for even after recovering from Covid

DOCTORS are warning about a worrying side effect that Omicron patients should watch out for – even after they’ve recovered from Covid.

Since being first detected in late November 2021, the Omicron variant has caused a surge in Covid cases across the nation, forcing state officials to reimplement mask mandate rules and stress testing.

1 Some recovering Omicron patients are suffering from body pain and lack of energy

Yet, doctors and researchers have claimed that Omicron symptoms are mild and less severe than the Delta strain – despite being among the most highly contagious variants.

Data revealed the risk of hospitalization is 50 to 70 percent lower than with Delta.

However, many recovered patients are complaining about body pain and lack of energy.

In an interview with Livemint, Dr Harish Chafle, a senior consultant at Global Hospital, explained the back-breaking pain caused while recovering from Omicron.

“It is a possibility that due to inflammatory mediators, this variant is causing more myalgia than any other variant post-recovery,” the outlet reported.

Myalgia, according to John Hopkins Medicine, describes a range of muscle pains, with symptoms that include muscle cramps and joint pain.

A second reason for sudden post-Covid back pain may be Omicron’s effect on the musculoskeletal system, which the variant attacks more than any other variant, per the outlet.

There are several other long-term Omicron symptoms that can last for months – and here is how you can relieve them.

LONG-TERM OMICRON SYMPTOMS

People recovering from Omicron can experience the following:

Muscle weakness and stiff joints

Extreme fatigue and feeling low on energy

Reduced mobility

Breathlessness

Phlegm build-up

Weaker physical fitness

Loss of appetite and weight loss

Lack of sense of smell or taste

Stomach problems and this includes heartburn, diarrhoea and vomiting

Difficulties swallowing

On the other hand, some people experience a mental and emotional toll from Covid. These include:

Sleep issues – and can affect people who have been in hospital, where it can be difficult to sleep on Covid wards

Mental fog such as being forgetful and not thinking clearly

Sudden changes in your mood

Depression or anxiety

Nightmares or flashbacks

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Confusion or delirium

But there are ways to relieve symptoms like a build-up of phlegm, and that’s through deep breathing.

This technique expands your lungs and helps clear the phlegm.

To do this, make sure you’re comfortable and that your chest and shoulders are relaxed, and do the following:

Sit or lie in a comfortable position

Place one hand on your tummy below your ribs and the other on your chest

Take a deep breath through your nose while letting your tummy push your hand out. The hand on your tummy should move more than the hand on your chest

Breathe out through pursed lips like you’re trying to whistle. Feel the hand on your belly go in and use it to push all the air out

Repeat this three to five times while taking your time with each breath

If you’re still struggling to cope, please contact your doctor or visit your local hospital for help.

Vaccine effectiveness & Omicron Expert studies have shown that the risk of severe illness from Covid-19 is reduced by 90 percent or more among people who are fully vaccinated. While there are breakthrough cases of Covid among people who are vaccinated, they are rare. In the event of a breakthrough case, victims are highly unlikely to be hospitalized with severe or deadly symptoms from the virus. Health officials have advised that the Omicron variant is more infectious and could lead to further breakthrough cases. Yet the spread can be offset by all vaccinated Americans receiving a booster shot. Current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant. With other variants, like Delta, vaccines have remained effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. Studies have also shown that side effects from the vaccine are extremely rare. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention